Shares in the Asia-Pacific traded lower on Thursday as economic fears weigh.
The Nikkei 225 dropped 250.42 points, or 0.9%, to conclude Thursday at 27,006.96.
The Japanese yen weakened past 150 per U.S. dollar late in Asia’s afternoon, a 32-year low against the greenback. It last traded at 149.85 per dollar.
In Japan, ANA Holdings also gained 1.5% and Japan Airlines traded 1.4% higher.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng lost 231.06 points, on 1.4%, to 16,280.22.
The offshore yuan strengthened after Bloomberg reported that officials are debating reducing Covid quarantines to seven days from 10 days, and was last at 7.2527 per dollar.
The currency earlier touched a record low against the U.S. dollar overnight at 7.2786.
Hong Kong-listed shares of some Chinese airlines briefly spiked following a Bloomberg report that Chinese officials are debating reducing the quarantine period for inbound travelers.
Shortly after the report, China Southern Airlines was up about 3%, Air China was roughly 2% higher and China Eastern Airlines rose more than 1%. The stocks have since pared most of their gains.
Meanwhile, shares of Cathay Pacific were last more than 2% lower and Korean airlines and travel-related stocks continued to trade roughly 2% lower.
In other markets
In Shanghai, the CSI 300 fell 21.6 points, or 0.6%, to 3,776.53
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index gave up 0.1 points to 3,022.70.
In Taiwan, the Taiex faltered 30.66 points, or 0.2%, to 12,946.10.
In Korea, the Kospi index slid 19.35 points, or 0.9%, to 2,218.06.
In Australia, the ASX 200 shrank 69.32 points, 1%, to 6,730.73.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 crumbled 84.62 points, or 0.8%, to 10,832.03.
